Previously,
Taiwanese interested in Egyptian civilization
have only been able to catch glimpses
of this fascinating culture through the
mass media, or by taking an expensive
trip abroad. Now, after four years of
preparation, "Ancient Egyptian Art
from The Louvre" is here.

The
exhibition consists of more than 600
major items from the collection of the
Louvre in Paris, and lasts one year from
November 2003 to November 2004. Come
and see what the excitement is all about;
if you are not already an admirer of
ancient Egyptian art, you will likely
become one.

The
Louvre's Egyptian Galleries contain over
60,000 Egyptian relics, a hoard second
only to the Cairo Museum. Some of the
pieces now in Taiwan have never left
France since they were acquired by The
Louvre, including a mummy of cat, and
the Carved Granite Statue of Pharaoh
Thutmose IV. A girl mummy is also showcased
for the first time; while in Taiwan it
will also be sent through a CAT scanner
to gather data.

Ancient
Egyptian Art from The Louvre is divided
into four main subjects: Ancient Egypt
Revealed--Archeology and France; The
Rise of Egypt--The Nile and Its Ecology;
Egypt and Pharaohs--4000 Years of The
History and Culture of Ancient Egypt;
and finally Mysteries of Millenniums--Life
and Death of The Ancient Egyptian.

1.
Ancient Egypt Revealed--Archeology and
France

Napoleon
attacked Egypt at the end of the 18th
century, and France has enjoyed close
ties with Egypt ever since. In modern
times, three French scholars have been
of great importance in the field of Egyptology.
They are former Louvre Museum Director
Vivant Denon, First Egyptian Gallery
Director Jean Francois Champollion--the
first man to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics--and
Auguste Mariette, who promoted the Egyptian
Antiquity Hall in Egypt.

2.
The Rise of Egypt--The Nile and Its Ecology

The
Nile brings fertility to the land by
flooding each year. It nurtured the ancient
Egyptian civilization, which revered
the Nile as the Mother God of Earth.
Small creatures and riverbank implements
are introduced in this section.

The
Nile brings fertility to the land by
flooding each year. It nurtured the ancient
Egyptian civilization, which revered
the Nile as the Mother God of Earth.
Small creatures and riverbank implements
are introduced in this section.

3.
Egypt and Pharaohs--4000 Years of The
History and Culture of Ancient Egypt

In
this section, the antiquities are arranged
by year into a chronicle, revealing changes
in art and civilization with actual objects.
The major periods are: Pre-dynastic Period
(4000-3000 B.C); Thinite (first dynasty),
Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period
(3000-2000 B.C); Middle Kingdom (2000-1500
B.C); New Kingdom (1500-1000 B.C); and
Late Period (1000-30 B.C).

4.
Mysteries of Millenniums--Life and Death
of The Ancient Egyptian

Ancient
Egypt's unique burial ceremonies are
fascinating. This section introduces
the Egyptian concepts of life and death,
ceremonial procedures, mummification
procedures, barriers the dead must overcome
to reach the afterworld, guardian gods
and charms, colored tombs, and the reconstruction
of Sennedjem (tombs).

When
and Where:

*
Start from the last third part of April,
2004
National Museum Of Natural Science, Taichung
City (more information please make contact
with them)
* July 30, 2004 to November 7, 2004
National Science & Technology Museum,
Kaohsiung City
Admission fee: Adults NT$180; Students
NT$160
Free Admission: Senior citizens aged
65 or over; children under 110cm tall;
handicapped persons
Information: (02) 2341-9898